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Event

OTT Conference in Africa 2018

The 1st OTT Conference in Africa will take place in Pretoria on 17th July 2018. Southern Hemisphere is organising this one-day conference aimed at bringing together thinktankers, policy entrepreneurs, funders and policymakers from around the world to present, discuss and debate a range of issues related think tanks and evidence informed policy. We are supported by the Hewlett Foundation and Universidad del Pacífico.

The Conference follows the 2nd OTT Global Conference, held in London in February 2018 and follow-up meetings held in London and Lima. These events help us to reach new audiences and explore new ideas.

The programme is based on the London event (we had more than 2 days of meetings) but is indented to be a platform for the local thinktanking and policy research community to lead the discussion.

Who is coming?

We have sent out direct invitations first to ensure that the core group of participants is somehow connected to OTT and its partners. This is not intended to be exclusive of others but rather to ensure that the first conference we organise in Africa maintains the same ethos as the ones we have organised elsewhere. We want to make sure that all participants feel comfortable and free to be open and candid about their work – as well as about the challenges and concerns they face.

You can join by applying below.

The programme

The draft programme below will be updated as more people sign up and you suggest what you would like to discuss.

(900-1000) Opening remarks and introductions with Dena Lomofsky (Southern Hemisphere) and Enrique Mendizabal (On Think Tanks) to get to know each other

(1000-1030) Keynote presentation and debate:

Matodzi Amisi (Department of Planning Monitoring and Evaluation) on: Evidence Informed Policy Making in Africa – what is the end game?+

(1030-1100) Coffee Break

(1100-1130) Keynote presentation and debate:

John Schwartz (Soapbox) on the future of think tank communications – branding+

Please note the the coffee/tea breaks and lunches are long to encourage the conversation to continue. These are opportunities for you to share your work, present ideas and make new friends.

How to get there?

Stats SA is just behind the Gautrain Pretoria station – if you come out of the station and turn left, there is a bridge which leads straight to stats SA or there are metered taxis at the station that will drive you there for R80. Link to Goole Map.

Parking: There is limited parking inside Stats SA building, and there is plenty of parking outside the building.

Reading list

To help participants get in the mood we offer a reading and viewing list – developed, in part, by the 2018 OTT Conference participants’ own recommendations.